Are Selection Tools Right for Developement?
Let’s say you did some team building exercises where you and your team completed an instrument that told you amazing things about your communication/leadership style. The team then spent a few hours going over the results and gained insights into how to work better together.
So, the next time you have a job opening, someone says, “Hey, let’s use that test we took at the offsite.” Is this a good idea? Well, maybe but probably not. Why not?
First, most of the well marketed instruments do not have any demonstrated validity for selection, meaning there is not a correlation between scores on the test and managerial performance. This is because they are not designed to measure things that have been shown to predict performance (here’s a tip…there’s no data that shows that either intuitive or sensing people are better employees).
Second, who’s to say what the “right” profile is. One could argue that you want people of different types because they will bring different ideas to the table. On the other hand, you could argue that you want people of similar types who will get along better and be more cohesive. A study was done at Saturn when they were first opening their plant in Tennessee. There was some discussion as to whether teams in the plant should be matched based on ability or their personality type. So, they conducted a study where teams were assembled based upon the team members’ personality type (some teams were heterogeneous based on type, others homogeneous). Each team member was also given a test of mechanical ability. Teams were asked to put together headlights. The only predictor of team performance was average score on the mechanical ability test.
This is not to say that personality is not a good predictor of performance. It is, when the instrument measures those things that are based on performance, and not one’s favorite tree or color.
For more information about effective selection instruments, please contact Warren Bobrow.
Difficult People
With the holidays approaching, stress levels go up. As we stand in long lines at the airport, visit relatives, or go shopping in crowded malls, we may get irritated and complain about all the difficult people we have to deal with. Unfortunately, there may be some difficult people at work too (bosses, peers, direct reports). Sound familiar?
Here are some guidelines to help you through these interactions so that situations don’t escalate and relationships remain intact. You can respond effectively and professionally if you:
• Examine your contribution to the situation (what did you say, how did you say it)
• Look for a different way to express your concern or make your request
• Make an effort to change the behavior, not the person (focus on the action, not personality)
• Remain calm and keep the lines of communication open (keep asking questions, be polite)
• Encourage desirable behaviors (appreciation and “thank yous” goes a long way)
• Stay positive that a solution can be reached (expect the best and you just might get it)
If you are interested in learning more about dealing with difficult people, please contact Kammy Haynes.
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